Electric scale



J. N. BAKER ELECTRIC SCALE Feb. 23, 1954 Filed Jan. 10, 1945 VII/ll 1 Z BAKE? Patented Feb. 23, 1954 ELECTRIC SCALE James N. Baker,

to The Black Baltimore County, Md., assignor and Decker Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Maryland Application January 10, 1945, Serial No. 572,179

3 Claims.

The object of this invention is to produce a weighing device which is extremely light in weight and capable of weighing heavy loads with a high degree of accuracy. The device is particularly suited for use in weighing trucks and buses upon the highways and its light weight makes it most convenient to transport from place to place in a car of the officer of the highway patrol. Its light weight makes it ideal for the weighing of aircraft especially where it is necessary to transport the device from one flight field to another.

In the design of present units used for these purposes a system of levers has been used to bring the load being weighed within the range of the indicating device. The load is then the product of the balancing weight and the total movement of the system of levers. The indicating device is calibrated to show the load upon the scale platform. In a system of levers of this type any change, however slight, in the combined lever movement, such as would be produced by a distortion of the base of the unit would materially affect the accuracy of the weight indication. In order to reduce to a minimum the error due to this base distortion, it has been necessary to use an extremely heavy base. This is essential since there can be no fixed prepared foundation upon which to place the unit.

There is also the difiiculty at times of reading the load indication, especially if there are overhangingprojcctions, when it is necessary to resort to the use of a mirror. When several uni-ts have been used together it has been necessary to read them separately since there were no means of totalizing the load upon the several units.

The subject of this invention is a weighing device which is more adaptable, more portable and more easily read either as a unit or as a total of a plurality of units. The device may either take the form of a platform scale or of a cell scale which may be used in conjunction with a jack. The basic elements in the scale are the same whichever form they may be adapted to.

This application is directed to the cell type scale.

With the above stated objective in view a readily portable device for weighing relatively heavy loads, according to the present invention comprises a hollow container having a rigid vertical peripheral wall including a peripheral load sustaining portion, a flexing elastic load sustaining metal plate resting upon and flexing about the angle formed by the inner edge of said portion, a solid electrical conducting element associated with the under side of the plate, the flexing of the plate varying a current that may be passed through the element, a load centering means on the top of said plate located substantially centrally of the peripheral wall, and means permanently connecting the plate to the wall.

An arrangement as above stated may be used in a small compact Weighing device adapted to a jack-type scale and could be termed a flat pellet or pancake or preferably a cell scale. It may be placed upon the top of any commercial jack between its head and the load to be weighed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a practical embodiment of a cell-type scale constructed in accordance with the present invention.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a fourth form of electro-magnet deflection detector applied to a cell type of scale or unit.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 4 is a plan view thereof with the bearing plate and holder rings removed.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section of the electromagnetic units.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the transfer pin pressure adjustor.

In Figures 1 to 6 inclusive is shown one form of electro-magnet cell type scale. This scale has a cup base I with a pressure plate I6I having thereon a boss I62 which has a socket therein for the head I63. The pressure plate I6I is held down by locking ring I64 and cover plate I65.

Within the base I60 are two bearing rings I66 and I61. The top edge of ring I61 is rounded to form a support for the pressure plate I6I. Between the two bearing rings is a circular plate I68 held from turning by the notch I69 having the pin I 10 passing therein through the side wall of base I60. A U-shaped section is cut from the center plate I68 leaving a tongue I1I projecting diametrically across the plate.

Beneath the center of pressure plate I6I this tongue I1I is provided with a boss I12 which is urged upwardly by the pressure spring I13. The boss is tapped to accommodate an adjusting screw I14, the upper end of which is provided with a pivot bearing socket I15. A pivot bearing socket I16 is also located in the hardened member I11 in the center of the pressure plate I6I. Between the two pivot sockets is a transfer pin I18. With the pin in intimate contact with its two sockets, any deflection of pressure plate I 6| willbe transmitted to tongue "I. The vertical position of adjusting screw I14 can be fixed by wrench shank I19 in a socket placed axially of the screw from below. A look nut I89 can likewise be forced into place by a wrench ISI from below. These wrenches work through the opening I82 provided in the bottom of the base I60 for the top of the jack.

Two S-shaped brackets I83 and I84 are screwed to opposed sides of plate I58, each of which supports a coil I85: at its outer extremity. .These coils are attached to the brackets by studs I86. These coils face each other and are so located that the centers of the studs I86 line up opposite the center of the free extremity of tongue I;'II,athe studs forming pole pieces and with the tongue forming air gaps I81 and I88. An'outlet-l89' -is provided for the wires fromthetwo coils.

When load is applied to the plate IBI its deflection or deformation is transmitted directly to tongue Ill and this movement of the tongue increases the upper air gap I81 and decreasesthe lower air gap I88. With the coils connected as shown in Figure 5,. upon passing alternating: current therethrough :and to .a suitable measuring means, the effect of :the :airagap change canrbe calibrated directly into ipOHIIdS pressure-upon the load plate. I 6 I.

'The magnetomotiveforce causes magnetic lines of force to flow throu-gh: the magneticcircuit. It is similar'tosa currentrflow: created by voltage in an electric circuit. ":The magnetic I'fillX is the 'numberof lines or magnetic force-set up-in .the magnetic substancezand thus the flux'becomes analogous to currentiflowingj in-anelectric circuit. The magnetic flux is numerically equal :to 'the driving 'force calle'd:magnetomotiveforce, "divided by the reluctance of the circuit-which is-a quality --analogous:toi;the: resistance of: an electric circuit. "In theiformulaf'forcalculating:thefiuxin a ma netic circuit the-airwg-ap contributes'byfar'the larger" part. of :the. reluctance-when the poles and their connections.:are. all iron :or steel andconsequently the 'fiowo'f'fluxis greatly aifected by variations in thewidth of the air gap.

Thesbase of :theseunits may bemade of aluminum and likewise the top may be aluminum. The load-:.plate=and the gage plates and bearingrings and the like are preferably madeof hardened .steel to i-properly xztr-ansmit the loads thereupon 2aridzto serveas parts of .magneticcircuits.

It will of .cours be understood that :various changes inrdetails :;of construction 1 and arrangement of parts rmay be made by those skilled in themart withoutdeparting from the spirit ofthe invention .;as :set forth in 'rthe appended claims.

What is claimed :as rnew and is desired to be secured by Letters 'Patent' is 11. Arreadil-y' portable device for "weighing relatively heavy loads,: athollow container "having an upwardly. directed rigid peripheral load sustaining portion; anda base inflexible in all directions, aiiflexing elastic load sustaining metalplate resting upon and fiexing aboutethe inner supporting edge of said portion, a :flexing center "member rigidly rsupported .beneath "said load sustaining plate, solid :electrical 1 impedance {elements :associated with*bothssides 'ofthe*centerrmemben the member :and .'-elements being :between "the .plate andbasatherfiexing-of the centerimember varying a current-that.may bet-passed through the elements, a1load'centering meansonthe top of saidplate located substantially centrally on the plate positioned ,toreceivez theload to.be. weighed and means transferring load imparted flexing of said plate located substantially centrally of the means permanently connecting the plate and centering means to the container without restraint upon the flexing of the plate.

2. A readily portable device for weighing relatively heavy loads, a hollow container including :a peripheral support, and albaseiihfiexibl in all directions, a flexing elastieload sustaining metal plate resting upon said support, a pair of spaced -el'ectro magnets with their cores substantially in line supported within said container beneath said plate and above the base, a movable arma- :-turermovable iniztheaspace between said magnets, movements-ofthe armature varying the currents 'thatmay bepassed through said magnets, a load zcentering meansonthe top of said plate located substantially centrally of the plate positioned to receivethe load to be weighed and means transferring load imparted flexing of said plate proportionately to thezmovement of. said armature zand meanspermanently connectingth plateand centering means to the container.

-3. Azreadily portable. device for-weighing relatively :heavy loads, aahollow container 9 including -a ;per ipheral-s ipport and 'a'base inflexible in all .directions,,a flexing elastic load sustaining metal platerestingupon said; support, a.pair..of spaced electromagnets :-with.their cores substantially in line supported within .said container :beneath said plate andrabovessaid'base, a-resilient armature: mounted. atone endadjacent the container side :and extending. across t-he container center .and between .said magnets, a load centering means on r. the. top. of. said, plate ,-1ocated substantially. centrally of :theplate, positioned to receive .the..load-.to be=weighed, movements ofthe armature varying .the .currents vthat .may be passed through said magnets, and means. substantially normahtotheplate and centrally thereof transferring load imparted :flexing of ,the plate proportionatelyyto the.movement. of said armature, said movement .beingmagnifiedby the extension .of the armature beyond the transferring means .to the magnets.

-JAMES NBAKER.

References"Cited in the file of'this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS -Number Name Date 1308333 Smith Apr. 9, 1929 718,494 'Shurig June 25, 1929 1372;188 "Mason Aug. 5, 1930 13973811 Martin Feb. 14, 1933 1,953,819 Payne Apr. 3, 1934 912,578 'Wallichs Sept. 4, 1934 2,059,106 "Lorig Aug. 4, 1936 231333078 Kemler Dec. 1-2, 1939 f22l3982 Frey Sept. 10,1940 I2,26'6',608 fKuehni Dec. 16, 194.1 '22.,297g679 :Allen Oct-6, 19.42 .:2,' 298,2l6 iliamberger Oct. 6, 1942 1235363590 gOsterberg. Al 1.13% .14,v 1943 :2-,360;886 osterhergmunm Qct.;2d,.1944 2,362,626 Gifien Nov. 14,;l91i4 329484169 :Hathaway.....-1",--- Get. 11, I949 2,48%;349 Thurston flun :Nov. 1-5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date $157,295 Great Britain Nov. 25, 1936 

